The King's Protector
by Blackroses191191
Summary: Follows the life of Eomer and my OC, from their first fight.


_This is a one-shot that I have been working on. Please Read and Review. _

**The King's Protector**

"I am sorry my King, I have failed you." The deep voice rang though out the otherwise empty hall. The bearded King sat before him, no judgment on his aging face. The pair had known each other for the majority of their life time. The King was not disappointed in any way with his subject and friend. The stress of Théoden's position was starting to show on his face, his heir had started diplomacy lessons earlier in the year. Théodred had been busy learning the art of warfare before now.

"Fréwon, my friend, you had no control of your child's sex, your daughter will grow to be as beautiful as her mother was." The man who was standing with his hands clasped behind his back flinched at the past tense. Théoden knew how his friend was feeling, having personally been through it. Théoden still carried some of that pain, he knew it would never fully disappear. The King observed his friend in silence.

Fréwon glanced around the Hall that he lived in. The deep red wall hangings laced with gold thread, depicted battles of his history. The gold within the hangings and the leaf that was inlaid into the intricately carved pillars only reaffirmed the name of the Golden Hall.

Théoden stood and indicated for his friend to follow him. Háma the door ward opened it silently, proving the King was never truly alone. The pair walked into the stables, which was one of the most elaborate buildings in Edoras.

"Fréwon my good friend and protector, go home. This is the time to be with your family. I see no immediate danger and the royal guard will do a fine job while you and your family morn together. In the meantime you may also be able to think of a solution to our newest problem." Théoden smiled slightly ensuring that his friend still knew that it was not his fault. The King was hoping that his friend would come up with a solution, a solution that both of them would be comfortable with. Silence hung between them for a few minutes, no words were needed between them.

"I will return in two weeks. I have to organize the land and find someone to take care of my youngest." The king smiled, he knew that his friend would return as soon as he could, the King was his first priority, this was something that Théoden was uncomfortable with. Family in his opinion always should come first.

"You are a man and a father before my protector, you return when you are ready and not a moment sooner. I believe your family would love to spend some time with you, regardless of the circumstances." Fréwon inclined his head respectfully, but he knew that he would be back within two weeks, if it was within his power.

Fréwon left the Kings side for the first time in five months. When he had heard news that his wife was pregnant with his fourth child he rushed home to ensure that she would have everything she needed during the trying time. He had planned to return for the birth but his wife had gone into labour early.

The King smiled as the lone horseman left his sight. It would be good for the family to see their father for a while.

A few months later small girl arrived in Edoras for the first time, she had been travelling for two days, she wasn't used to being on a horse for this long. The pair had only stopped for a few hours so she could sleep on the plains for a short while. Her shoulder length blond hair was braided in pigtails and though exhausted her eyes were full of joy.

Her father looked over at her just before the Meduseld came into view across the grass plains, he wanted to see the look of amazement on her face when she finally saw it. He was not disappointed. Her breath caught in her chest, the thatched roof was catching the evening sun, giving the illusion of it being roofed in gold. She had never seen anything so beautiful.

When the pair had finally finished climbing the steep hill of Edoras she finally realized exactly why her father spent the majority of his time here. Entering Edoras from the grass plains was an amazing feeling, and once she had dismounted her horse she glanced over at the grass plains and was once more breathless. The grass was in places rippling like water. It was in that moment that she realized why her father spent all of his time here. She moved and felt her sore legs protesting slightly. The days travel had taken its toll on her small body.

"Father?" she asked hoping she had his attention, she never seemed to hold it for long, at the tentative question he nodded his head indicating that she had his attention. "I would like to stay here if it is possible, it is beautiful here. I see why you are never at home." Her father smiled though there was some sorrow in his eyes. The realization that his children did not see him enough was upsetting, especially when he was informed so matter of factly. She could not help but grin in response, after all it was her that had made him smile, the proud look on her face said everything that he needed to know. His smile wasn't only due to her innocent smile, she had a smudge of mud on her cheek making her look even more innocent.

"Let's stable the horses, then I will talk with the King, you must stay close to the stables, is that understood?" she nodded her fair head and he took her for her word, after all she was an Eorlingas. He left her in the stables and went about the business he needed to complete. She sat on a hay bale taking in the magnificence of the Royal stables of Rohan she pulled on one of her plaits and just watched the horses.

The stables were beautiful, they were elaborate with horse carvings on the beams, and a sun carved into the crossbeams at the entrance. She walked between all the bays, they were elaborate and the horses all seemed well behaved. There was the occasional whinny but other than that there was silence. The walking had helped to sooth her sore legs. She was so engulfed by curiosity she didn't hear the soft footsteps of someone intruding on her silence.

"Who are you?"the harsh accusing tone filled the stables making the little girl look at the intruder with narrowed eyes. The glare did not intimidate the young boy standing before her, he continued speaking to her "What are you doing in here?" He crossed his arms, anger filled his face.

Brynwyn just observed the boy before her. She noticed that he was a little older than she was, though his face was full of anger she noticed the slump of his shoulders, clearly he was feeling lost. She just looked at him, allowing the silence to become uncomfortable around them.

"Are you mute? Answer me!" She inhaled deeply his rage sparking her hidden anger into life. She was not intimidated by him. She often had fights with her two older sisters and some of the young boys from the small town she lived in on the plains.

"No, I am not mute." She replied her knuckles white ready to punch, her short nails biting into her palms. She glared into his dark eyes challenging him to continue, he was poking the sleeping lion.

"Well are you going to answer my questions?" she lifted her chin in defiance, her heart was pounding in response to her anger, which was building like rain clouds before a storm.

"No, I don't want to." Her eyes narrowed and he snarled at her. She counted down from three in her head and as she reached one she felt a blow to her shoulder. She staggered back, the blow a lot harder than she had been expecting. Despite being smaller than him she fought back dragging him to the floor. This went on for a few minutes before the pair heard some footsteps. Their eyes connected and instant understanding went between them. They stood in unison and moved to opposite sides of the stables, brushing themselves hoping to get the majority of the hay off.

"Brynwyn, come along." She looked at her father and nodded her head. The boy at the other end of the stables glanced at her as they left, she smirked at him. She felt some camaraderie with him for those few moments, they were keeping a secret from others. He nodded his head in respect and continued looking at the horses.

Her Father led her through a maze of corridors. When they arrived she noticed that their destination had been a small bedroom of the Medusled. It was practically bare, there was a bed that was slightly larger than the one she had at home, a tiny window was in the wall to let in a small amount of light, a wardrobe which was standing empty clearly waiting for a new owner. "This is to be your room. The king has accepted my proposal and you will begin training in a few weeks. There are a few things that King Théoden would like to do before you begin training." Brynwyn frowned, she did not yet know why she was there only that out of her three sisters her Father thought her the most suitable. "As we did not bring your wardrobe we will have some clothes commissioned." She frowned but knew better than to question her father.

After a few weeks she was to begin her training, she was going to take over her father's job when he became too old. She was introduced to everyone in the household, there was a lot of people around and she knew it would take a long time for her to learn everyone's names. Not that it stopped her from becoming frustrated with not knowing everyone. The King was older than her father but not by much. The boy who she had taken part in an altercation with was none other than the King's sister-son Éomer. Her favourite member of the household was definitely Eowyn, though she seemed sad the girl was born in the same year as her, this meant that they enjoyed the same games, and activities as each other.

Her father had taken her aside one morning and illuminated to her to what she was going to do while there, she was to undertake weapons training, then eventually take over his place protecting the King. She would also be taught to ride a horse properly. There was lots that Brynwyn needed to do but currently she was being forced to stand still in the tailors to ensure that her new garments fitted her correctly. As she was not thirteen summers yet, her father had decided to not replace the dress she had arrived in, instead she was to wear men's clothing. Much of which would be altered when she came of age.

The training was long and hard. She only had one day off a week during which she assisted Eowyn to master the sword. She was always hungry and only saw her father at meals something that disappointed her. She found weapons training to be difficult, but nothing in her opinion was as difficult as learning to ride a horse properly. Doing so meant attempting to forget exactly what she knew and start over once more. The only thing that spurred her on in this endeavour was seeing Éomer struggle with this also. The group were forced to care for their horse, cleaning the hooves, checking their legs for swelling. They had to do everything, it was tiring work.

As the training continued a strange sense of companionship developed between Brynwyn and Éomer. They were spending hours upon hours in each other's company, then going back home and spending the evening hours with each other as both wanted to spend time with Eowyn. Eowyn enjoyed the attention that she had in the evenings from them both, and taught them a few of the things she was taught throughout the day.

A few years passed. The training had ensured that Brynwyn was slim and toned. She only wore dresses on very special occasions, today was one of those days. Theodred was going to Gondor in an attempt to improve the bridges between the nations. Tonight would be a celebration of this step in his life.

Brynwyn stood at the side of the hall, there was nothing of interest for her in here. She was never asked to dance, nor could she, not having had the time to learn to do so yet. Her father would certainly frown upon her if she sat drinking with the young men that she was training with. It would be frowned upon if she left as well. Instead she observed, Eowyn's movements were followed by a great many of the males in the hall. Brynwyn laughed, she could imagine Eomer going and intimidating them all to leave his sister alone. If he had his way, she would not meet anyone until she was 30.

She heard Eomer's laugh echoing through the hall. The pair had slowly become friends, spending that much time in each other's company they hadn't been given much of a choice. Though Brynwyn had yet to admit it to Eowyn, she wished there was a little more than friendship there, he had grown into a handsome young man, into someone she admired.

As the party continued on Brynwyn was preparing to leave, she had been there for long enough and she could hear her bed calling for her. On her way across the hall she spotted Eomer struggling to walk, she rolled her eyes and wished that she was not such a nice person. She grabbed hold of him and wrapped his arm around her shoulders allowing him to put most of his weight on her.

"Let me help you to bed." Eomer nodded his head once just accepting wherever she was taking him. She half carried him through the dark halls of their home, and came upon his door just as she was starting to flag. The first time she had helped him in a similar situation she had only made it half the way, clearly the endurance training had worked.

She pushed open the door and dropped him onto the bed, taking his shoes off. He curled up on the bed and gained her attention once she was at the door.

"Brynwyn." He paused opening his eyes wider as though that would help him see her better. "You looked beautiful tonight." She felt a knot appear in her stomach, it hadn't been the first time he had said something like that and every time he did she felt that she was setting herself up for disappointment.

"Thank you Eomer. Good night." She responded. Before she closed the door she could hear his snores echoing around the room. He would not remember what he had said the next day, she was not sure if that was a good thing or not.

A few weeks later hand to hand combat was upon them. This was always a last resort, but something that no doubt had saved many lives. The males of the group laughed and jeered at Brynwyn. After all she was a year younger and weaker than them. She shrugged it off not showing just how much the jaunts were affecting her. She knew she would be able to prove them wrong eventually.

The names were called out at random. Each pair going head to head, with the others watching in a loose circle. Brynwyn did not watch the males scrabbling on the floor, after all there was no real point, with sword fighting she would have watched, it was good to watch other people you can pick up different things from them. "Brynwyn, Éomer." She sighed. Of course. He now dwarfed her, her head barely came up to his shoulder and he was broader than she ever thought he could become. The years had been good to him. He looked into her chestnut brown eyes and smiled.

"Just like the first time we met." She inclined her head. She knew that she could not win in a fair fight between herself and any of the males present, instead she had a back-up plan. When they started Éomer once more punched her in the stomach but this time she was prepared for the blow she tensed her stomach and kept breathing as normally as she could, as though the blow had not winded her. She had to concede a few steps which made the jeering start again. She made no noise and punched Éomer in the stomach in reply, he was much quicker than her and grabbed her wrist before she could retrieve it twisting it behind her back. She attempted to head butt him in the nose but he just chuckled softly close to her ear. This action made her angry. She lifted her foot quickly making it look as though she was going to take out his legs and took her small dagger from its sheath in her boot, she held it too his stomach as he was about to push her to the floor.

"Try it." She said grinning. The laughs around them had stopped and Éomer let go of her immediately. He nodded his head at her and stood off to the side once more. She understood that he knew she would not have stabbed him, his sister would have killed her, but he knew that if it were anyone else she would have. It wouldn't have been an empty threat.

"I heard about what happened at training." Brynwyn looked impassively at Eowyn. She tried to think of something to say but nothing came to mind. It was training it had to be done. She would not feel guilty about it. "Well done" Brynwyn was confused but said nothing. There was nothing to say. She had earnt the respect of some of those that she trained with, but ever since Eomer had been slightly distant from her, which she couldn't explain.

On the graduation day the group of recently trained recruits they were to take part in a display of weapons. Each member of the group had a family member present for the occasion. It was a proud moment to see a recruit's graduation ceremony. Brynwyn was to sword fight with Éomer, showcasing their skills with a blade. She could not help but be nervous and thus her hands were shaking, quivering with anticipation.

As the pair started the crowd seemed to hold its breath, they were wondering how the King's sister-son would handle a blade, after all his father was a well-known swordsman. The pair started slowly seeming to feel one another's strengths and weaknesses, however they soon quickened up each attempting to break the other's defences.

Brynwyn was in deep concentration, the movements were becoming more natural but she still struggled slightly with the sword. Éomer's movements were natural and there was no thought behind the movements. She was not thinking of the next move as they worked through she was concentrating mainly on the stances that she was executing. She closed her eyes trying to remember the next one when abruptly his sword was no longer where it should have been and her sword hit him in the shoulder causing it to start bleeding profusely. She winced, but there was nothing that she could do in that moment. The pair finished their stances quickly, and Brynwyn made her way to Éomer, dropping her sword in the process.

She looked closely at the wound, "I am so sorry." She took her dagger to the top of her sleeve and ripped it off. If he was surprised by the strength of this feat then it did not show on his face. She held the piece of fabric to his shoulder before she looked into his eyes, they were dark and showed some amusement. She grabbed hold of his wrist and placed his hand on to the wound. Their eyes did not leave each other. It was not until her father came over carrying her sword that they realised how improper they were being.

"Congratulations, both of you." His deep voice made her smile and the pride that it conveyed was something that Brynwyn had been striving for since she was three summers. Her father walked off and they both saw him look back at the pair there was a glint in his eyes that neither of them had seen before.

Éomer looked back at the young woman before him. She smiled at him, he saw something that he had never seen. "You should not walk back home dressed like that." She frowned, there was nothing wrong with the way she was dressed. He walked away and Brynwyn stood there confused. Eowyn came over, a smile on her face. However when she saw that her brother was missing she frowned.

"Where is Éomer, I came over to congratulate you both." Brynwyn shrugged her shoulders. She genuinely did not know where he had gone. A few moments later he reappeared next to her, a shirt in his hand. He passed her the shirt and then hugged his sister. Brynwyn followed the silent command, the shirt was far too large for her, when he pulled away from the hug with his sister he grinned at his friend. His shirt drowned her. She looked at the floor but nothing was said. Eowyn looked between the pair but said nothing.

Peace had left Rohan, her enimies were not always obvious. Brynwyn knew soon they would go to war. Her place was beside her king regardless of what was happening on the other side of the door. Her Father had died a few years ago and she only left for the funeral, not being allowed to hear his last words hurt but she had dedication to her duty. Something which her father would have understood.

"You are supposed to protect the king!" he shouted at her, she blinked her tears away but said nothing back to him, she knew that he would continue shouting until he was ready to listen. "Yet he has been weakened by Wormtongue, are you in league with him?" the question tore her heart apart but she said nothing in response, she looked up into Éomer's eyes and saw something which she had never seen there before, fear.

"I can only protect his body, his mind is something else entirely! I cannot stop his council though I wish I could. If I knew how to help then you know that I would!" he nodded his head accepting what she said as true. He wrapped his arms around her and for those few precious seconds they shared each-other's strength. He placed his lips on her forehead.

"Protect my sister as well as you can." Brynwyn nodded her head, though she knew Eowyn would not appreciate the thought her brother was giving her. "Wait for me?" he always asked this when he left and her response was always the same.

"Always." She stood fiddling with the necklace he had made when he was first patrolling with the Eored. She had given him one also, something to signify their friendship. It was the only thing she never took off. The promises that they had made each other came to the forefront of her mind. If she ever saw him give that necklace to someone else she knew that she would have to leave. It would break her heart to see him marry someone else. He walked away glancing over his shoulder at her. She forced a smile onto her face. There was nothing she could do, she would worry for him until his return.

The battle was upon them, so much had happened in the last few months and she knew that this would be the climax of everything. Brynwyn did her best to stay beside the King but she was having difficulties due to the sheer amount of enemies. She was eventually unseated from her horse. The Urk-hai were large and defiantly stronger than her. The vibrations of the numerous hits had finally made her hand numb. Her arm was tired, and all she wanted to do was stop fighting. The enemies continued like a wave. A Nazgul landed close to the city, out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Snowmane the kings horse. She made her way towards the King slowly cutting down those that came in her way. She saw the Witch King of Angmar fall, Theoden was lying on the floor beneath his horse speaking to Eomer. Once he had been declared King he saw Eowyn lying on the floor, and rode into battle without thought for his or his eored's saftety. Brynwyn stood guard beside Theoden and Eowyn not allowing an enemy to get within touching distance of them. She took an arrow to the shoulder, the leg wound that had unseated her had weakened her throughout her battle and she eventually collapsed from blood loss and exhaustion.

"Eowyn," she smiled and Brynwyn could not help but grin in response. It had been far too long since she had last seen a true smile on her best friend's lips. She opened her blue eyes and the small amount of joy that had been on her face was there no longer. "I am sorry." Eowyn smiled softly.

"I always knew when he became king you would not want to stay for long." Brynwyn shifted under the knowing gaze.

"I feel it better if I leave now, you know your brother would not let me go if he were here." She didn't mention that it hurt her heart to leave, but she knew it was for the best, after watching him last night move amongst the ladies of the Gondorian court she knew that her time as the King's protector was over.

"He asked you to wait for him." Eowyn narrowed her eyes. Brynwyn knew that the fight that was going to occur would make it easier for Eowyn to come to terms with her leaving.

"He did." She mumbled looking at her feet. He had asked that every time he had left her for a battle.

"Then you should do as your king asks!"

"I will wait for him, I will just be waiting elsewhere!" Brynwyn shouted at the woman before her. She clenched her jaws hoping that her tears would not fall. Brynwyn left the houses of healing. She walked through the seventh tier of Minas Tirith not seeing anyone whom she should be avoiding. When she finally made it to the stables she saw why. Close to the horizon was a great host of men, their armour glinting in the small amount of sun. She swallowed and stood at the top of the city waiting for them to leave her eye-line. She had failed in her job it was unquestionably time to leave.

The Royal stables of Gondor were not something to marvel at, it was clear from her mare that the war horses would not have been comfortable in here. The sections would have been slightly too small for them. When she got to her mare it was also obvious that she was distressed about something. Brynwyn checked her legs for swellings and as there was nothing that she could feel, she felt that it would be ok to leave, regardless of how the mare was feeling.

The horse was saddled with efficiency the only an experienced rider had. Within minutes the horse was ready for the journey. The rider had pilfered some food and a skin of water from the kitchen and was ready to leave. As she exited the stables a young woman walked up to her. The confidence that the young lady exuded only came from being a member of a royal, or lordship's family.

"My lady." Brynwyn did not curtsy, she bowed her head forward, and wrapped her hand into the mane of her horse tighter. The horse shifted on her hooves, feeling her master's tension. But a well-placed hand on her lower neck quickly calmed her. There was an awkward silence for a few seconds before Brynwyn spoke once more. "My lady, I am in a hurry, please say what you came to me to say. I am an Eorlingas, I am not used to standing on ceremony." The grey eyes of the girl widened in her beautiful face and Brynwyn recognised her as one of the women Éomer had been talking to the night after the battle, the one that he had given his necklace to.

"Why are you leaving?" Brynwyn frowned it had nothing to do with the girl in front of her. "Éomer King has stated that you are meant to be waiting here for him." The girl had raised an eyebrow and Brynwyn could not help but be reminded of Eowyn.

"He is a good friend to me but my sisters are in need of me. The horses need to be protected and they have requested me to return home, I will not ignore my family's request." Brynwyn climbed up on to her horse. She looked down on the girl and placed a smile on her face, needless to say it was more of a grimace. "I am sure he will be just as happy to have you waiting for him." With that she rode off leaving the girl, she failed to hear the response of "I am not so sure."

Brynwyn, knowing that the roads were dangerous rode as though she had Nazguls on her tail. She rarely got off her horse, she was eating and sleeping in the saddle. When she finally saw the house that her family called home she was relieved. When she got to the stable she almost fell off her horse in exhaustion. The sun was shining happily and unobstructed in the sky once more and Brynwyn could not help but be relieved. She hoped that it was a good sign.

Her sisters came running at the sound of a horse and she could not help but feel nervous. She had not visited her sisters since her father's funeral. There had been far too much happening in Edoras. She sat straighter in her saddle and ignoring the tiredness running through her body.

"Brynwyn!" her younger sister ran towards her, her horse was skittish once again, Brynwyn frowned, she had pondered her mares problem en-route and could not figure out what was wrong.

She heard the hooves hitting the floor, like thunder from deep within the earth. She glanced outside then after seeing no-one walked deeper into the stables. She had been at the home for nearly a month and could not help but hope she had been forgotten about. She was moving the bales of hay for her sister which she had been asked to do that morning, after which she would be checking her mare who was expecting. She rubbed her face attempting to remove the sweat that had gathered there during her work. "Brynwyn!" she sighed at the interruption. She had been determined to continue working in the stables. "Brynwyn!" she rolled her eyes at her sister's persistence and walked out of the stables looking over her shoulder. She looked closely at her mare and noticed that her saddle bags were still resting on her stall, she still needed to unpack them.

"Yes!" Brynwyn shouted. Elorwyn stood before her, hands on her hips, and an annoyed look on her usually pretty face. Brynwyn placed a slight apologetic look on her face but did not say anything. She raised an eyebrow when her sister did not say anything for a few moments. Her oldest sister was well known for never being quiet.

"I am in need of your help." Brynwyn frowned, she had been busy doing what her sister had asked before she had interrupted her. Brynwyn crossed her arms before raising her eyebrow higher. "The Royal Rohirhim have asked for us to help cater for them." Brynwyn's eyes widened, she had hoped Éomer had forgotten all about her.

"I am not a competent cook." Elorwyn crossed her arms across her chest. Brynwyn looked at her older sister shocked, an eyebrow raising in disbelief. Her sister never admitted to not being good at something. "You do however have experience in large households, and cooking for a large number." Brynwyn nodded her head. She knew that there was no way that she would be able to get out of this, her sister just wouldn't stand for it.

"Fine," she sighed, she shoulders drooped her entire stance seemingly took on the weight of Middle Earth. "Go and purchase some flour, ask the King for some coin, I am sure he would not mind." Her sister smiled but did not say anything, she just walked off no doubt going to do her bidding.

She looked back at the stables wishing she could go back in time about ten minutes, before the horsemen arrived. She walked towards the camp that was in her family fields. There were two tents which were currently being erected which were clearly for the King and his sister. She inhaled deeply, she would need all her courage to face Leona, as he had been nicknamed when he was young.

She hurried into the kitchen hoping to avoid having to talk to him all together, however when she looked up he was stood there in all his glory hands behind his back. He had clearly been waiting for her. "Good evening." She shifted her weight from one side to the other. He looked at her closely and could not help but smile. She was sweating, clearly having done some heavy lifting for her sister, she looked extremely similar to how she looked the first time that they had met.

She had a braid in her hair, held back by a thick piece of spare cloth. She had two pieces which had fallen out of her braid on either side of her face. The shirt she was wearing was too large for her and he noticed that it was the shirt he had let her borrow years ago after the graduation ceremony. He smiled, she had not changed, she still looked like the little girl who had irritated him to the point of him punching her. "I hope you are well." He said to her. There was no change to her facial expression, but he noticed a slight change in her stance.

"I am well thank you. I hear that you have been doing as well as can be expected." She was still sorry for his loss but there was nothing she could do about his pain. He inclined his head sharply but nothing more was said. The door opened and her little sister walked in.

"Éomer, it is good to see you again." Brynwyn frowned, she had not been notified that he had met her youngest sister before. He smiled awkwardly. Fynwyn glanced between the two of them her eyes wide. Brynwyn was not supposed to know he had been here, that was obvious from the way he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"How is your sister?" Brynwyn asked, indicating to the door, allowing him an excuse to leave the room. He took the offer and led her towards the tents that were surrounded by his men.

"Ask her yourself." She looked at him closely and noticed that he now carried himself with an air of self-assurance. He seemed to have taken on the mantle of King with no issues. The pair walked together through the camp neither stopping to talk with the people they knew "Eowyn!" the King shouted the flap opened. Eowyn's face lit up in happiness, she wrapped her arms around the woman before her. Brynwyn smiled, she had missed her friend.

"How are you?" Eowyn smiled, Brynwyn looked at her closely, the Kings sister was glowing in happiness.

"I am going home to plan my wedding." Brynwyn's eyes widened. She had thought that Éomer would never give anyone permission to marry Eowyn. Éomer shrugged his shoulders which Brynwyn caught out of the corner of her eye.

"Congratulations," Brynwyn did not know how to proceed. Eowyn caught the sorrow in her friend's eyes but did not say anything. She had a feeling that the visit was not entirely coincidence, it was obvious Eowyn wanted to ask her something. "I have to go help my sister figure out how to feed everyone." Eowyn looked at her closely her eyes narrowing.

"Brynwyn" Éomer looked at her closely. His shirt was hanging off her frame much like it had the first time. She had grown a little more, but the shirt was still far too big for her. She looked at him closely but said nothing. She had a lot to do, stomachs would not feed themselves. He stood before her in silence. She smiled as she saw the dagger she had given him. It was hanging at his side as though he had always owned it. As they stood there silence fell through the camp like a wave. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something. "You were not in Minas Tirith when we returned." She nodded her head at the statement, though she knew that there was a question behind it. "My sister did not tell me where you had gone, I eventually found out from Lady Lothiriel." Brwnwyn nodded, she had not told Eowyn where she was going, after all it would have made it far too easy for the king to track her down, not that it would have been difficult regardless. "When you did not send word of your safe arrival I feared the worse." She looked at the floor momentarily before meeting his eyes again.

"I felt that you would have been far too busy to reply." She spoke to him with respect that his new station now deserved and he had already decided he did not like it. "I have much to do." She stated and turned on her heel not giving him a chance to finish his thoughts. Murmuring broke out through the camp once more. When she was once more in the Kitchen she found her sister struggling to knead all the bread that they were going to need. "Go and ask the King for some men who can knead the bread, you will be surprised at how many of them can." Her sister smiled and walked out of the kitchen into the sun. Brynwyn looked at the meat on the table, it was clearly freshly caught and skinned. She smiled at the thought of Gamiling, and started to prepare some vegetables for the stew.

"Your sister told me you needed some help." She froze at his voice. She knew that there were many men that would have offered to help, if the King had asked, she had a feeling he hadn't. He walked across the kitchen and started kneading the dough as though he had done it his entire life. "Do I have to directly ask the question to get a reply?" he broke the awkward silence. She glanced at him then started concentrating once more. "Why did you not wait for me?" she shrugged her shoulders but said nothing. He knew he was getting somewhere though when he noticed the slight look of embarrassment. "You had always waited for me if you were able, the first time you did not was the first time I asked while being king." She frowned, he was going to continue talking until she spoke honestly with him.

"A change of King meant that I was no longer needed. I promised my father I would protect Théoden until his or my last breath." Here she paused it still hurt to think about her father.

"You were still needed." Her eyes narrowed. She knew she wasn't.

"I saw you." He looked at her confused but did not say anything. So she continued. "You gave her your necklace" he looked confused for a moment before a smile twitched at his lips.

"You were jealous." She raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She was waiting for an explanation. The longer he looked amused the more annoyed she became. "I was giving it to her for safe keeping." Brynwyn just raised her eyebrow this was not a valid excuse in her opinion. "I did not want to lose it, naturally you assumed that I was fulfilling my promise to you." She narrowed her eyes. He wiped his hands and pulled the shirt down the back of her neck. "though I notice that you are not wearing your necklace." She narrowed her eyes at him, she knew where she had last put it.

"I know." He punched the table before looking back at her. Her reply had been succinct and simple. She tugged on the front of his shirt and saw her necklace looking back at her. He closed his eyes waiting for her to start shouting. Instead he just about heard what she said next. "I see you found it." He inclined his head once, there was the question again burning in his eyes. She shifted her weight uncomfortable with the intense gaze that was upon her. "Then you know why I left." She turned back to the table and started cutting up vegetables again.

"Aren't you in the least bit interested where mine ended up?" she looked at him with tears in her eyes. She said nothing, just looked at him, when she blinked two tears ran down her cheeks and he quickly wiped them away. He took her hand and dragged her outside and into the stables. He smiled at the irony. She crossed her arms not understanding where Éomer was going with this. All she wanted to do was feed him and his men, and return to the life she had. "You still haven't unpacked your saddle bags, for some reason that doesn't surprise me." He handed her the bag and she glared at him, this was cruel something that she never thought Éomer could be.

"Fine I will unpack. But you still have to tell me." She sat on the straw strewn floor with some tears in her eyes. She started emptying the saddle bags, as she pulled some moldy bread out she pulled a face in disgust. Then he started talking, his deep baritone filling the stables.

"I knew that this time you wouldn't wait for me. I don't know why, I just knew. I gave my necklace to Lothiriel." Here Brynwyn inhaled deeply trying to stave off sobbing pathetically. She continued unpacking just so she did not have to see a besotted look on Éomer's face as she spoke about her. "I didn't want to believe that you wouldn't be there when I returned, but at the same time, I did not want to not return and never have the chance to give the necklace to my beloved." By this point Brynwyn was at the bottom of the saddle bag glancing at him every so often. Her hand hit something, cord with something on the end, a pendant. She wrapped her hand around it and pulled it out of the bag holding on to the pendant tightly. She was not brave enough to look. He started speaking once more, his eyes never leaving hers. "I asked Lothiriel to keep an eye on the stables. If you were going to leave she was to place my necklace in your bag." She inhaled deeply and looked at the pendant in her hand. It was there looking back at her, the necklace that she had made him while he was away at war. The necklace that he had always promised to give to the woman that he was going to marry. She looked up at Éomer and though he wore her necklace there was still a nervous look on his face. She stood up from the floor and made her way towards him.

"Why did you never tell me?" she asked him as she pushed him, he fell to the floor not expecting it and she couldn't help but smile at the slight helplessness that he seemed to project.

"I may be brave enough to ride into a suicidal battle, but there was a small chance that I would survive. If you did not feel the same for me." He paused and she knew that he could not finish that sentence, much like she would not be able to. She nodded her head and bent down, kissing him gently on the lips. When she pulled away she smiled her grin lighting up her entire face. "Marry me." There was no question, it was just a statement. She looked into his eyes and could not help but laugh.

A few moments of joyful laughter was all she had before she realised that he could not ask her father's permission. As none of her sisters were married yet there was no body he could ask. He needed permission from the head of the family, one that the Advisor's would accept. He noticed her down trodden look and inquired her thoughts. After she had voiced her issues he smiled at her lovingly. A voice answered her from the doorway.

"He asked Father's permission years ago. I thought you knew." Her sister Elorwyn informed her. Brynwyn's eyes widened in wonder and Eomer just smirked at her an eyebrow raised.

"Your Father knew that we would marry one day. I am not sure when he realised it but I know when I did. Our graduation." She nodded her head, leaning it on his chest.

For those few happy moments they were only Brynwyn and Eomer, as soon as they existed the stables he became the King once more. But that didn't matter, they had each other.


End file.
